Cecil man faces charges in crash

By Kathie Warco

Staff Writer

Advertisement

A Cecil man will be charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of children after he allegedly crashed the vehicle he was driving with three children aboard Saturday night.

Glenn Gauthier Jr., 32, of 8 Leasure Way, reportedly had his 2-year-old son in the car along with his girlfriend and her children, ages 4 and 7, when he sideswiped the back of the Sarris Candy building on Ash Alley, hit a fence and air-conditioning unit, and almost hit two pedestrians.

Gauthier reportedly got into an argument with his girlfriend, Christina Bennett, at her home at 520 Blaine Ave., Canonsburg police said.

Bennett said that Gauthier took his son and got into her car. She told police that she also got into the car with her children, thinking he would not drive with all of them in the vehicle. Instead, he drove off, crashing into things, she said. Bennett told police that she was yelling at him to stop. Pieces of vehicle were found in the alley.

Bennett said she got out of the car with her children when he stopped. He then allegedly drove to Adams Avenue, where he was found by police, with his son still in his car seat.

After failing to give a sufficient breath sample to determine his alcohol level, Gauthier was taken to Canonsburg General Hospital, where blood was drawn to determine his alcohol level.

Washington County Children and Youth Services was contacted, and a caseworker authorized the release of the boy to his mother.

On Monday, in a case brought by Cecil Township police in connection with a Jan. 18 incident, Gauthier was ordered held for court by District Judge Valarie Costanzo on charges of DUI, driving under suspension and not using headlights.